Phillips County / Zortman Source Water Delineation and Assessment
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Phillips County / Zortman Water and Sewer District Public Water System PWSID # MT0001623 SOURCE WATER DELINEATION AND ASSESSMENT REPORT 11/99 Date of Report: October 2000 John Boland Rory Schmidt Certified Operators Russ Cebulski, President Source Water Protection Contact P.O. Box 210 Zortman, Montana 59546 phone: (406) 673-3162 Table of Contents Table of Contents Glossary Introduction Chapter 1, Background Chapter 2, Delineation Chapter 3, Inventory Chapter 4, Susceptibility Assessment References Figures Figure 1 – Zortman Location Map Figure 2 – Zortman Area General Surficial Geologic Map Figure 3 –Geologic Cross Section and Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model Figure 4 – Zortman Inventory Zones Figure 5 – Zortman Area Land Use Figure 6 – Zortman Inventoried Properties Location Map Tables Table 1 – Zortman Area Background Water Quality Table 2 – Summary of Geologic and Hydrogeologic Studies and Maps Table 3 – Zortman PWS Well Information Table 4 – Inventory Summary for Zortman PWS Table 5 – Relative Susceptibility of Contaminant Sources Based on Hazard and Barriers Table 6 – Susceptibility Assessment for Zortman PWS Significant Potential Contaminant Sources Appendices APPENDIX A – Sanitary Survey, including PWS System Layout APPENDIX B – Zortman Mining Co. Well Sampling Data Results APPENDIX C – Well Logs APPENDIX D – Inventory Sheets APPENDIX E – Checklist APPENDIX F – Concurrence Letter from PWS Operator GLOSSARY* Acute Health Effect. A negative health effect in which symptoms develop rapidly. Alkalinity. The capacity of water to neutralize acids. Aquifer. A water-bearing layer of rock or sediment that will yield water in usable quantity to a well or spring. Barrier. A physical feature or management plan that reduces the likelihood of contamination of a water source from a potential contaminant source Best Management Practices (BMPs). Methods for various activities that have been determined to be the most effective, practical means of preventing or reducing pollution. Biennial Reporting System (BRS). An EPA database that contains information on hazardous waste sites. The data can be accessed through the EPA Envirofacts website. Chronic Health Effect. A negative health effect in which symptoms develop over an extended period of time. Class V Injection Well. Any pit or conduit into the subsurface for disposal of waste waters. The receiving unit for an injection well typically represents the aquifer, or water bearing interval. Coliform Bacteria. A general type of bacteria found in the intestinal tracts of animals and humans, and also in soils, vegetation and water. Their presence in water is used as an indicator of pollution and possible contamination by pathogens. Community. A town, neighborhood or area where people live and prosper. Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO). Any agricultural operation that feeds animals within specific areas, not on rangeland. Certain CAFOs require permits for operation. Confined Aquifer. A fully saturated aquifer overlain by a confining unit such as a clay layer. The static water level in a well in a confined aquifer is at an elevation that is equal to or higher than the base of the overlying confining unit. Confining Unit. A geologic formation present above a confined aquifer that does not allow the flow of water, maintaining the pressure of the ground water in the aquifer. The physical properties of a confining unit may range from a five-feet thick clay layer to a shale that is hundreds of feet thick. Comprehensive Environmental Cleanup and Responsibility Act (CECRA). Passed in 1989 by the Montana State Legislature, CECRA provides the mechanism and responsibility to clean up hazardous waste sites in Montana. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). Enacted in 1980. CERCLA provides a Federal "Superfund" to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment. Through the Act, EPA was given power to seek out those parties responsible for any release and assure their cooperation in the cleanup. The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (CERCLIS) provides information about specific sites through the EPA Envirofacts website. Delineation. The process of determining and mapping source water protection areas. Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A computerized database management and mapping system that allows for analysis and presentation of geographic data. Hardness. Characteristic of water caused by presence of various calcium and magnesium salts. Hard water may interfere with some industrial processes and prevent soap from lathering. Hazard. A relative measure of the potential of a contaminant from a facility or associated with a land use to reach the water source for a public water supply. The location, quantity and toxicity of significant potential contaminant sources determine hazard. Hydraulic Conductivity. A constant number, or coefficient of proportionality, that describes the rate water can move through an aquifer material. Hydrology. The study of water and how it flows in the ground and on the surface. Hydrogeology. The study of geologic formations and how they effect ground water flow systems. Inventory Region. A source water management area for ground water systems that encompasses the area expected to contribute water to a public water supply within a fixed distance or a specified three year ground water travel time. Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST). A release from a UST and/or associated piping into the subsurface. Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). Maximum concentration of a substance in water that is permitted to be delivered to the users of a public water supply. Set by EPA under authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act to establish concentrations of contaminants in drinking water that are protective of human health. Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology – Ground Water Information Center (MBMG/GWIC). The database of information on all wells drilled in Montana, including stratigraphic data and well construction data, when available. Montana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (MPDES). Database system to track entities that discharge wastewater of any type into waters of the State of Montana. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). A national database system to track entities that discharge wastewater. Nitrate. An important plant nutrient and type of inorganic fertilizer that can be a potential contaminant in water at high concentrations. In water the major sources of nitrates are wastewater treatment effluent, septic tanks, feed lots and fertilizers. Nonpoint-Source Pollution. Pollution sources that are diffuse and do not have a single point of origin or are not introduced into a receiving stream from a specific outlet. Nonpoint sources of pollution, such as the use of herbicides, can concentrate low levels of chemicals into surface and/or ground waters at increased levels that may exceed MCLs. Pathogens. A microorganism typically found in the intestinal tracts of mammals, capable of producing disease. Point-Source. A stationary location or fixed facility from which pollutants are discharged. Permit Compliance System (PCS). An EPA database that provides information on the status of required permits for specific activities for specific facilities. The data can be accessed through the EPA Envirofacts website. Public Water System. A system that provides water for human consumption through at least 15 service connections or regularly serves 25 individuals. Pumping Water Level. Water level elevation in a well when the pump is operating. Recharge Region. A source water management region that is generally the entire area that could contribute water to an aquifer used by a public water supply. Includes areas that could contribute water over long time periods or under different water usage patterns. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Enacted by Congress in 1976. RCRA's primary goals are to protect human health and the environment from the potential hazards of waste disposal, to conserve energy and natural resources, to reduce the amount of waste generated, and to ensure that wastes are managed in an environmentally sound manner. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Information System (RCRIS) provides information about specific sites through the EPA Envirofacts website. Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels (SMCL). The maximum concentration of a substance in water that is recommended to be delivered to users of a public water supply, based on aesthetic qualities. SMCLs are non-enforceable guidelines for public water supplies, set by EPA under authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act. Compounds with SMCLs may occur naturally in certain areas, limiting the ability of the public water supply to treat for them. Section Seven Tracking System (SSTS). SSTS is an automated system EPA uses to track pesticide producing establishments and the amount of pesticides they produce. Source Water. Any surface water, spring, or ground water source that provides water to a public water supply. Source Water Assessment Report. A report for a public water supply that delineates source water protection areas, performs an inventory of potential contaminant sources within the delineated areas, and evaluates the relative susceptibility of the source water to contamination from the potential contaminant sources under "worst-case" conditions. Source Water Protection Areas. For surface